Bacteriological studies of cardiac tissues obtained at autopsy from eleven patients dying with rheumatic fever

Bacteriological studies of cardiac tissues obtained at autopsy were made on eleven patients dying with rheumatic fever. Thirty‐four of 44 valves cultured showed evidence of active rheumatic valvulitis. Group A hemolytic streptococci were isolated from only two of these affected valves. The results of this study do not support the view that rheumatic valvulitis is due to direct invasion of the valves by group A hemolytic streptococci.